After decades of being upstaged by blown glass articles, fused glass art has made a significant comeback in recent years. The technique’s simple, yet colourful appearance won the hearts of art aficionados the world over, and as a result, the style is currently in the process of regaining its former popularity worldwide – as the sales volumes here at House of Ugly Fish certainly attest to!
The success of fused glass art as a form of decoration is not hard to explain; the style is versatile, colourful, visually appealing, and uncomplicated enough to integrate into any style of décor. A large part of the success of fused glass pieces, however, rests on the shoulders of its most particular feature, a little-known glass-moulding technique known as ‘slumping’.
In the dictionary, ‘to slump’ means to adopt a slouched or relaxed posture, usually with a curved back. In fused glass art, ‘slumping’ refers to something rather similar, namely a process through which flat glass is heated over a raised template, so that it curves (or slumps) and assumes a three-dimensional appearance. This process is usually carried out in a kiln, giving the technique its alternate name, kiln-carving.
Slumping is a very popular technique among fused glass artists, and is at the heart of the visual appeal of most pieces produced in this style, namely accessories such as ashtrays or bowls. When combined with the colourful, fractured appearance typical of fused glass pieces, slumping helps give fused glass items a unique appearance, which often constitutes a decisive selling point for art lovers looking for a different type of item to decorate their home or office.
Slumping and fused glass art can, therefore, definitely be considered a winning combination, and the union of the two in fused glass pieces should continue to prove profitable in years to come!